The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-02-12
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
Editor EXCHANGE {:

petitions are being circulated asking
the legislature to provide for payment
of liquors owned by distilleries and
dealers at the time prohibition goes
into effect, if the amendment is rat.
fled by the people. Knowing that
you are in favor Of prohibition, de-
sire to correct through your valuable
paper wrong impression that your
readers are laboring under. That is,
that distilers cannot sell the whisky
they may have on hand when prohibi-
ton takes effect.
The amendment provides that no
one shall manufacture for sale or sell
as beverage, &c. The distillers
can continue to sell for medicinal or
scientific purposes in the state, and
ship out Of .he state and sell every
gallon they can make. We do not
destroy or confiscate the distillerles
nor do we prevent wholesale liquor
dealers from shipping and selling to
individuals in other states as they are
now doing. The question of inter>
state commerce as governed by cur
national laws prevents our protecting
or controlling the morals or financial
transactions of the citizens of other
states. 1t is true that, should all
other states of our union adopt prohi-
bition, they could prevent our citizens
shipping whisky to sell to their citi-
zens. Each state you see protects its
own citizens.
The bill before the legislature to
compensate liquor dealers for losses,
provided the amendment is adopted,
is clearly unconstitutional. The law
making power under our constitution
is vested solely in the general assem-,
bly,, and they cannot transfer that
power to another Gov. Brown We
toed the local option bill, for the rea-
son that it became law and went
into operation in county provided
the people of said county by a major
ity vote decided to accept it. The
compensation bill is still worse. 1t
provides that it shall take effect and
be law provided the people by a
vote adopt some other measure, that
is, the constitutional amendment.
Besides, if the amendment is adopted
I by the people, it provides that the
q Legislature shall by law provide for
the enforcement of said amendment.
q 1t is a well.known fact that no law
can he enforced without a penalty.
, Therefore, after the adoption of the
o amendment by the people, when the
legislature meets TO pass law to en-
force prohibition, it will be time
enough then to provide for losses, il
any there be. Now what is the or.
ject sought to be attained by the
liquJr dealers in pressing a bill that
they know to be unconstitutional Ii
is this : If they can succeed in pass,
ing the bill, as it does not go into eff,
feet until the amendment is adopted
therefore cannot be declared uncon.
stitutiOnal until it goes in effect, they
: will 60 before the people and say, il
you vote for the amendment, you are
voting on yourselves debt of five OF
six millions, and thereby scare The
people into voting against it. 1t is
o the last hope to retain traffic that i;
e a whitening, blighting curse to poor
c weak humanity, and standing libe
. to the civilization of christian era
is | warn all friends of prohibition tC
beware giving sanction to a measure
that if, successful, will endanger the
" success of the amendment to the con.
is stitution when it comes before tn,
le people. JNo. H. Mcdowell.
t. Union City, Feb. LIST, 1887.